travel blog – Page 3 – Brightside Nomads

Adventure

Tumbling into Santa Fe

By mamawanderer March 16, 2018

Santa Fe

We made it to Santa Fe and were super exciting our Airbnb was an adobe house. We had cactus in our yard and it’s really feeling like the west. Our stay here was extra long because Matt was going on a ski trip with his friends and on his return I was heading off for a girls weekend to Denver. Before Matt’s trip, we had a day to get acquainted with the town and it sure is cute! It was also small enough that I was comfortable driving our huge vehicle around so that was good.

Rollin’ with the tumble weeds

Santa Fe Children’s Museum

The Santa Fe Children’s Museum was just a few blocks from our Airbnb and we had an afternoon of fun there. Most Children’s Museums I’ve been to are amazing but pretty controlled, this one was wild and free. There was an art center with fabric, paper, beads, glue, feathers etc. and you could make whatever you wanted. There was also a water area, blocks, gardening section, and the highlight for our kid’s face painting! (Oh and making big messes is encouraged!) To be able to paint their own faces was such a treat and their individual personalities shined through perfectly with their paint choices!

Bandolier National Monument

We decided to venture out to Bandolier National Monument on our second day without Matt. 90% of the time he drives so I was in charge of driving which isn’t a problem and navigating which I will be the first to admit, I think I was born with a broken compass in my head. The good thing is phone navigation makes things relatively easy nowadays, the bad thing is sometimes in the middle of nowhere navigation doesn’t work. We made it there and back safely. The drive was beautiful, I love this desolate land, all the blonds of nature, the miles you can see in front of you. It is also amazing how you can be driving along in what seems to be flat land for miles, make a turn and there is a big canyon. We popped up on Frijoles Canyon as we entered Bandelier National Park and then wound down switchbacks until we came to the visitor center. A short hike from the visitor center with Junior Ranger books in hand brought us to cliffs in the distance where the Pueblo people made their homes. We made our way past the Kiva, then to the ground dwellings and finally to the cavates (alcoves carved into the canyon walls). Wooden ladders allowed you to climb inside and check out these small houses. I will say it is pretty cool to perch inside these dwellings and imagine living with a family here 800 years ago. This area once was covered with 1000 feet of volcanic ash which turned into tuff. Over time, in areas with less density in the rocks, hollows formed, and then Native people used tools to carve out these holes for dwellings. We also saw petroglyphs carved into the rock which is always astonishing to imagine the hands that carved these lines and the stories they were telling. The kids loved our adventure, they all became Junior Rangers and we had a great day to tell dad about.

Super STEM Saturday

While watching the Olympics Colette saw a commercial for “Super STEM Saturday” she declared we had to go. To be honest I didn’t want to make the drive to Albuquerque but when your kids are that excited about science how can you not. We got up and headed out early and it was more than worth the trip. Super STEM Saturday, full of amazing science experiments, robots, math challenges, Bob the Science Guy, and Star Wars! It was so much fun to see such excitement and so many kids enjoying the wonders of science.

Georgia O’Keeffe Museum

Santa Fe, the land of Georgia O’Keeffe. I was so happy to visit this museum dedicated to her work. I loved that they gave the kids sketchbooks to create art while in the gallery. This kept them occupied while I enjoyed the paintings. I cringe at Lennox with the phone in the gallery but I consider it insurance against us ending up with a multi-million dollar destruction of artwork and a front page news story. He wasn’t as thrilled about browsing O’Keeffe paintings as I was.

Kakawa

A shop dedicated to sipping chocolate, wow! We stopped in for a treat and found an extraordinary gem. From sipping chocolate to truffles and even ice cream this place serves the finest flavors and its atmosphere is amazing. We all fell in love with this soul-warming experience.

Meow Wolf

Ok, where do we even start… if you bottle up creativity and put it in a building and shook it vigorously you would have this amazing place. It is so crazy and cool it is pretty much indescribable and all I can say is go! If you ever have a chance get there and soak up the experience, I know I did. From giant robots to playing music on the ribs of a wooly mammoth skeleton, glow rooms and eyeballs of all sorts staring at you from the walls, climb into a washing machine or walk through a refrigerator, places light up and sing, tight spaces, shrinking walls and dance party rooms, you will never want to leave. Enjoy a taste of the magic.

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Adventure

750ft Below the Surface of the Earth…and Aliens

By PapaWanderer March 13, 2018

San Antonio to Carlsbad

This section of the trip took us from civilization to no man’s land. Well, that’s not entirely true. There were an awful lot of oil men drilling for black gold. It was a beautiful drive until we hit the last hundred miles to Carlsbad. This is where we turned on to a two-lane road with posted speed limits of 75mph and potholes that could rip the tranny out of a monster truck. There were semi’s barreling by and an uncountable number of F150’s. All these trucks were there to service the oil derricks that dotted the landscape like toothpicks on a party tray. Oh, and did I mention that the winds where gusting 25-30+mph which is really fun in a big land yacht with a topper on it. We made it just as the sun was setting. We tucked into our hotel and got ready for a fun day deep underground.

The Caverns of Carlsbad

The caverns aren’t actually in Carlsbad. (FYI) You need to drive about 30 minutes. It is well worth the effort. After a beautiful drive through the park and up to the cavern entrance, you’re greeted by a breathtaking vista of the Chihuahuan desert. On the way up we got to see a type of Bighorn sheep which was a cool surprise.

The visitor center is well staffed has an excellent museum to get you oriented. Once you’re ready to visit the caves you have two options. A quick 1 min elevator ride or a 45 min hike into the cave system from the mouth at the surface. We opted for the elevator on our first day as we had a guided tour we needed to meet. The next day we decided to hike in and it is AWESOME!

But I digress, day one we went to a cave system called the King’s Palace. This was a guided tour and was wonderful. The cave system was well lit and had thousands of stalagmites and stalactites, rock curtains, and impossibly thin rock tubes called soda straws. Truly an awe-inspiring experience. The guide also turned the lights out half way through so we could feel the intenseness of complete darkness. Colette and Sienna both loved the excursion into this hidden world. On day two we hiked into the cavern from the surface. This gives you a real sense of what it must have been like to first come upon these caverns and explore them. We highly recommend hiking in one of the days if you visit this place. Once at the bottom we went on the self-guided tour of what they call the “Big Room“. The Big Room tour is about two hours and takes you buy some of the most spectacular otherworldy structures you’ll ever see. Carlsbad Caverns is a remote location and we’d recommend tacking it on to a bigger exploration of the Southwest.

More of the Surreal

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Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The caverns aren’t the only thing to see when in Carlsbad. About 20 minutes past the caverns lies the Guadalupe Mountains National Park. We are always in awe of the national park system and what they protect and this was no different. Beautiful mountains, pristine wilderness, and Jr. Ranger Program!!! We love these.

There are a few short hikes here, but it really caters to longer overnight hikes to experience the park. We opted to drive around and get some great shots after the kids became Junior Rangers at the museum.

Believe…….

We spent about three full days in the area exploring and found that to be a good window of time to experience a taste of the caverns and mountains. On the way to our next destination, we needed to make the pilgrimage to the town made famous by the alien spacecraft that crash landed there 72 years ago. Roswell, NM is a surprisingly big town, much bigger than Carlsbad. Our only focus for passing through was to visit the UFO Museum and have space lunch. The museum is a fun place to visit and does a great job recapping the history of the alien crash investigation. There’s are lots of fun and cool art and exhibits to enjoy as well. I love Aliens! So making the effort to land here definitely was a check off my bucket list. I’m not sure if Katie felt the same way, but the kids had a blast. A worthwhile place to spend an hour and get some lunch. Though space lunch was not found we did have a nice bite at a deli up the street. Our next stop is Santa Fe for a couple weeks.

Adventure

Deep in the heart of San Antonio

By PapaWanderer March 10, 2018

Texas is BIG

So we all know Texas is big but man this state is fricken HUGE! We had a seven-hour drive from our stay in Louisiana so we buckled down and ground it out. We were on our way to San Antonio. The kids were taking turns studying school work and blowing off steam with the iDevices. The longest most stressful part of the drive was the hour it took getting through Houston. Eight lanes of traffic packed with cars all going 70+?! Glad that’s over and definitely not our cup of tea. We eased on into San Antonio and were pleasantly surprised by our Airbnb for the week. A beautiful Southwestern home North of the city. Plenty of great things to do close by and space to spread out.

The Alamo

I’m guessing the one thing everyone does when coming to this city is going to the Alamo. We were no different. It’s located right in the heart of the city near the famed Riverwalk. Nestled between towers of steel and concrete was the historic mission that gained so much fame from the fact the everyone defending it died. The people of Texas are very proud of this monument, and rightly so. It’s a testament to the resolve of early Americans to defend to the death what they believe in. 200 defenders went up against 2000+ professional Mexican soldiers under the leadership of López de Santa Anna. One thing That has come to surprise me (and somewhat sadden me as well) is that all the historical sites are heavily encroached upon by the modern world. I guess my mental image of these places was a more romanticized vision of the sites sitting pristine with nothing around them. I take great heart though in knowing that they are being protected and that no matter the marching progress of the future, they will stay the same. After visiting the Alamo we spent the rest of the day walking around the Riverwalk and checking out the downtown sites. Due to cool and wet weather, we didn’t spend a whole lot of time exploring the Riverwalk. I guess we’ll need to come back again for that.

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Time to Monkey Around

It had been a while since we hit a zoo and we found out San Antonio had a nice one. We packed everyone into the ride and headed down. We love zoo’s I don’t know what it is but each of us has our favorite animals and we just love seeing these creatures in real life. We saw Jaguars, an untold number of funky monkeys, a baby anteater hitching a ride on its mom’s back and many others that would make Dr. Dolittle proud. This zoo really packs a lot of exhibits in a relatively small space while still keeping the animal environments decently big. We had a great time. The pics will tell a better story than I can. One cool thing we saw was during lunch, we had packed a picnic and decided to sit and watch the Giraffes. This zoo has a Giraffe feeding area that’s attached to the elevated lunch area we were sitting at and the animals come right up to within 5 or 6 feet of you. Very awesome to see these big guys at eye level. Colette, Sienna , and Lennox also made these plastic injected molded toys you can get at a machine in the park for $2. Both Katie and I had these little treasures when we were young so it was a cool moment to share that with the kiddos. San Antonio Zoo.

Cowboy hats, Cowboy Boots and….Cowboys!

One thing both Katie and I wanted to do on this trip when we were in the west was attending a rodeo. It just so happened that our timing was such that we hit town the same time as the huge San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo. At first, we looked for tickets and found nothing for under $200. We thought we were out of luck. Then late one night, on a whim, I checked to see if anything was available. To my astonishment, we found five tickets in the nosebleeds. (center corral?) So the next day off to the rodeo we went. What a spectacle. So much pride in the event from both the attendees and the participants. You could really feel these people’s American pride and happiness. We saw buckin’ Broncos, steer wrestling, calf roping, barrel racing and of course bull riding. We won’t pretend that we’re longtime fans of the rodeo or even know much about what a “good” ride is, but we certainly found a new appreciation for the men and women that call this their profession. We had a blast and at the end, we were treated to a country concert from the band Midland. Katie the girls and Lennox really had a great time and hopefully made some memories.

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McLeod Kids – Texas Junior Rangers

So as many of you may know, our kids love the Jr. Ranger programs at the national parks. San Antonio just happens to have a National Park for the Spanish Missions. We decided to forgo our traditional homeschooling and supplement it with some good old-fashioned hands-on experience. There are four missions in the San Antonio Missions National Historic Park; Mission Conceptìon, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, Mission Espada. These beautiful structures are 250 years old and in many ways remarkably well preserved. Even though these missions evoke a sense of wonder for times long past, they also serve as a reminder of a dark chapter in history. A history filled with the exploitation of native peoples and the destruction of a noble culture. The missions were built on the backs of the native peoples that lived in the area at the time. they were forced to give up their traditions and embrace an alien way of life. It’s always a bit sobering to find out the true history of some of these landmarks. It serves a good teaching moment for the kids. Katie and I just hope that they come away with a deeper appreciation of cultural diversity and the notion of right and wrong. This is a really good tour and you can bike from mission to mission if the weather is nice. Our weather was cold so we drove, which is just as easy.

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Meatfest 2018 – Chama Gaucha – A Dinner in Pictures

St. Valentines Day – Big Air and Time Machines

We always like to do something special for the kids when holidays come up. Valentine’s Day was no exception. Katie and I celebrated the night before so we could spend the whole day and night treating the kids to a fun outing. We chose a spot to go to during the day but we didn’t tell the kids. We like to surprise them! We just happened to be talking to my parents when we drove into the parking lot of the destination when all of a sudden Colette let out an ear piercing scream. This was quickly followed by Sienna and Lennox. My parents must have thought we crashed. Really we had just pulled into Altitude Trampoline Park. This place was awesome. The whole floor of this massive warehouse was covered in trampolines. There was a foam pit, basketball nets, and dodgeball courts to play at as well. We spent the day going nuts. I managed to reclaim some old days of glory by pulling a double front flip into the foam pit. The kids were in heaven. The only downside was that Katie and I Spent the next couple days recovering from pulled and sore muscles.

Later that evening we went to dinner at what we found out was a local San Antonio landmark; The Magic Time Machine. This place was the perfect place to end our day. First off, every table is built into its own nook and has a theme. The theme could be anything from a cave to dragons lair. We sat at a table with a rocker theme, which was cool for us old ones. The other really fun part about this place is that all the wait staff are dressed up as characters like Draco Malfoy, Thor or Wonder Woman. They also stay in character which adds tremendously to the wackiness of this place. We had a young lady dressed as sponge bob complete with all the funny one-liners and affectations. We highly recommend hitting this place up if you’re in San Antonio.This is a great city and we had an awesome time exploring at this stop. We’re looking forward to coming back someday. Next, we are heading out into the desert in search of some caves.

Adventure

Passing Through the Big Easy

By mamawanderer March 7, 2018

New Orleans, Louisiana

Two years ago we brought the kids to New Orleans for spring break during the French Quarter Jazz Fest. We fell in love with our time here, staying in the French Quarter, great music, swamp tour, cool museums, and yummy food. One of my clearest memories was Lennox, then 2, licking a lamp post on Royal Street, he is still alive! We were all super excited to return and explore a little more of New Orleans. This time we stayed in the Garden District, it was a bit cooler in February, less busy, but just as much fun. The cool thing is everyone was getting ready for Mardi Gras, it was such a treat to see all the houses decorated, the spirit of Mardi Gras coming to life and get to know the traditions of this event a bit better. Far more than my prior notions of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Mardi Gras World

We decided it would be a great time to check out Mardi Gras World thinking all the floats would be getting ready for their big day. To our amazement, we discovered they were already working on floats for 2019 Mardi Gras!!! Yes, it takes an entire year of planning and creating. From the moment you step in the door, you are surrounded by larger than life creations, each as spectacular as the next. Artists are sculpting, painting, drawing and they even have a robotic CNC machine who sculpts foam figures for the floats as well. It is a busy place full of color and creativity. We learned a lot about the history of Mardi Gras, the first parade actually took place in 1703 in Mobile, Alabama, to how it has turned into an over the top 2-week celebration in New Orleans. Parade after parade is put on by Krewes throughout New Orleans in the weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday and the celebrations are spectacular.

Mardi Gras Parade

We were lucky to be in New Orleans on the day of the first Mardi Gras parades. We were heading out the next morning but packed up early so not to miss this happening. We really didn’t know what to expect but what was in store for us was more than any of us could’ve anticipated. We lined up on the street for the Krewe of Oshun followed by the Krew of Cleopatra, since the parade route is so long we ended up waiting quite some time before the parade start. Oshun began with dance school after dance school of little girls probably from 5 years old to teenagers. It was cold and all the girls wore dance outfits but they didn’t seem to mind. Their moves had more rhythm and movement than I could dream of, and I know our girls probably learned a move or two by watching. Such a fun, energetic atmosphere. Dancers were followed by bands, (amazing marching bands playing pop music) with flags, batons, the whole nine yards. Horses followed the bands and then came the floats. Oh the floats, they were huge and elaborate and filled with people throwing everything from candy to beads to hula hoops to full-sized stuffed animals towards all the stretched out arms and screaming people. It was insane, and this lasted for hours. We left with bags full of beads, candy, toys and I don’t think we will ever top this parade experience. It was a highlight for all of us and special to join the local New Orleans scene on this big day.

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Jackson Square

One of our favorite things to do in New Orleans is wandering through the streets, listening to music, viewing art and enjoying the atmosphere of this unique city. Today was Colette’s lucky day as she was called on to be the “assistant” to this juggling comedian. She successfully tossed the bowling pins to this gentleman as he stood on a ladder, and was pretty excited to be a part of the show!

Cafe du Monde

Well, this really doesn’t even need an explanation, but if you don’t know, chicory coffee and the most delicious beignets are served here as they have been since 1862! Expect to wait in line which is absolutely worth it, then use your hawk eyes to sweep up a table. Enjoy your time and don’t worry, you are guaranteed to leave covered in powdered sugar.

French Quarter

Strolling through the streets checking out the Mardi Gras decorations, music and eating King’s Cake makes for a perfect day.

On our way to Lafayette – Oak Alley Plantation

We left New Orleans and headed to Cajun country, Lafayette, LA. On our way, we decided to tour Oak Alley Plantation, it was a sugarcane plantation along the Great River Road, sitting on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The spectacular 800 ft. alley of live oak trees leading up to the Greek Revival style mansion is beautiful and a great spot for a photo shoot. We toured the Mansion, learning about the history of the area and the family who owned the plantation. It is always interesting and humbling to step back in time and imagine the way life would’ve been and give thanks for the life we have today. One interesting fact is from the Mansion you couldn’t see the Mississippi River, this is due to the fact that the levee which once stood 5 feet tall is now over 20 feet!

Avery Island – the land of Tabasco

I’m not even a hot sauce fan but this place was intriguing and we heard it was worth the trek to visit. The history here is deep, Tabasco was first produced in 1868 and remains a family business headquartered on Avery Island, which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. The story of the deep red pepper and the creation of the sauce which became an essential condiment worldwide is complex and intriguing. I love to see how things are made and the self-guided tour takes you through the 3-year process of growing the peppers, fermenting the mash, to turning it into the beloved hot sauce. There was a tasting section full of Tabasco products including ice cream and soda. This was fun for all of us and too hot for most, besides Matt, and it seems Sienna is developing a fondness for heat as well. Overall, it was a fun day and I may have even become a fan of the spicy sauce.

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Jungle Gardens

Also on Avery Island is a 170-acre botanical garden and bird sanctuary called Jungle Gardens. The gardens are home to migrating snowy egrets along with a multitude of beautiful plants, trees, and flowers. It is especially known for its camellia collection, beautiful flowering trees. For us, it was a peaceful drive and although it is winter and everything is slightly dull and not in bloom it was still beautiful scenery and we were excited to see an alligator.

Adventure

Sweet Home Alabama…..

By mamawanderer February 21, 2018

Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama

After nearly a month in Florida we were excited to move on to new states and of course, start our westward journey. There is something so exciting about heading west, maybe it’s because Matt and I met each other on the west coast. Whatever the attraction we were ready to point our compass toward the big W. The Florida Panhandle is long, our travel time from Hutchinson Island to Fairhope was over 9 hours but the kids did great back in the McLeod mobile and we were happy to raise our feet as Alabama welcomed us. Our Airbnb was in Fairhope, Alabama which is a small town on Mobile Bay. Between beautiful horse farms, an eclectic downtown and the most amazing sunsets I think we choose a great place to explore for a week.

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

Our first day-trip was to check out the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. We headed south to the Gulf Shore and found a great hike through the marshlands. We discovered it is a feeding area for migratory birds, I believe 360 bird species have been identified here. The kids were much more intrigued by the “Beware of Alligators” signs along the trail and it made me a little nervous I will admit. We didn’t spot any gators and few birds for that matter, but we had a great hike in the sunshine. We did discover Lennox’s hiking limit is not as far as we wish and the level of whining increases dramatically once you hit the 2-mile mark. We either need to figure out a good way to carry a 40 lb kid, strengthen his legs, quiet his whine, or take short hikes… haha, too much to contemplate.

Cant beat this view

This guy!

more beautiful views

Lennox smiling before his legs were tired

gator land

Strike a pose

The clan

Smiling beauty

Homes on the waters edge

white sand beach

skimming waves washing over the shore

tiny shells

so nice to play by the ocean

USS Alabama

In stark contrast to our nature hike, we climbed aboard a massive steel battleship, the USS Alabama. Our fogged-in day made the experience eerie but perfect. As amazing as it is to be on such a massive ship, to walk between the walls and imagine the life of the soldiers, it is also heavy to realize the reality of war fought on these decks. The guns are massive and plenty, this ship was in the Pacific during WWII. I was an exchange student in Okinawa, Japan for a year and seeing this ship was also there was a strange realization. We watched a movie with stories from the shipmates about the war and you realize how lucky you are to be traveling the United States with your kids. My gratitude to all those who have served our country grows each time I encounter experiences which show insight into military life, sacrifice, and loss.

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Dauphin Island

After seeing how amazing the white sand along Gulf Shores was we had to travel to the other side of the bay to check out the western entrance to Mobile Bay, Dauphin Island. Our first stop was the Dauphin Island Sea Lab which we knew the kids would love, anytime a touch pool is available they are ecstatic. The lab had great exhibits as well as many hands-on displays including the touch pool, sting ray pool and preserved sea creatures for handling. There were Octopi, skate, squid and various fish all preserved in formaldehyde. I was startled at my first touch but Sienna examined them with no hesitation, she may prove to be the scientist of the family. After our undersea exploration, we headed to the beach for a picnic lunch. We were nearly the only people at this pure white sand desert-like beach which seemed to stretch for miles. The ripples of the fine sand create beautiful patterns and the water is deep blue with smooth rolling waves. The environment takes your breath away and we enjoyed each moment. One thing you can’t miss is the off-shore oil rigs. As we drive our vehicle across the country we are more guilty than most of guzzling gas but something about seeing oil rigs in the middle of the pristine ocean still seems odd.

Horseshoe crab

Hermit crab in a glass shell

Mr. Eel says hi!

and this unhappy guy

rock or fish?

Underwater

Blub… Blub… Blub

huge smile for this diver

Sea Turtle ride

beach time

Always smiling at the beach

beautiful shore

taking in the sun

true lines in the sand

It’s almost like a desert here

white sand for miles

Lennox – king of the dune mountain

a little life exists

More pictures from our time in Fairhope, Alabama

Part of our time here was decompressing from our epic adventures in Florida and Fairhope was the perfect place for this. It is a super cute town and we had fun wandering, exploring and also just living life in our country home. Here are a few more photos from our stay.

porch swing smiles

not sure what he is up to with the knife

everyone is getting ready for Mardi Gras

Beads.beads.beads

more Mardi Gras decor

Mural of lovely colors

Mississippi – The Shed

Some friends mentioned The Shed to us and when we were passing through Mississippi we happened to land here around lunchtime. When I first looked at the website it said it was closed due to cold weather (which was in the low 40’s) but that must have been the day before because it was open. Holy sensory overload!!! It seemed like every inch of every wall, ceiling, door…. was covered with something, or more like many things. The ceiling had hundreds of dollar bills stuck to it with forks, we added ours as you can see below. Although the building is a site to see the food was the star. I think they are BBQ Champions of the World! Best I think we’ve ever tasted. So if you find yourself in Ocean Springs, Mississippi stop here for some good food and just to see this crazy place.

Adventure

Slow Start to a Long Journey – Part 2 – It’s Pronounced Universaaaaal

By PapaWanderer February 5, 2018

Non-stop Amusement

So now we are to visit a set of parks I’ve never been to, Universal. We also get to celebrate a special day as my oldest is shedding her single digit age becoming a tenner! We booked a cool hotel that had a 50’s vibe called Cabana Bay. Katie loved the retro vibe. We had three days to explore all the cool experiences Universal had to offer. The most anticipated for us was the Harry Potter worlds of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley.

Universal has two theme parks, Universal Studios, and Islands of Adventure. Both offer some awesome roller coasters, cool 3d rides and awesome theme areas like Dr. Seuss, The Simpsons and of course Harry Potter. Since we are on the road and space is a serious premium we decided to forgo any major physical birthday gifts. Instead, we promised the kids experiences for their birthdays. Colette’s choice was Harry Potter and she couldn’t have been more excited. In truth, I think we were all pretty excited for the experience. Harry Potter has two major areas, one in each park. Each of the areas is immaculately true to form in recreating the feeling of being in the wizarding world. The rides are exhilarating and feature all your favorite characters. The shops a fun and whimsical and all the workers (or cast members) stay in character as you interact with them. It’s a super fun experience that we highly recommend to any fan of the books. Of course, while we were there Colette and Sienna had to get wands at Ollivander’s. After watching a cool live performance of a young girl from the crowd getting a new wand from the man himself we moved into the store to pick our own. I won’t lie, the place was shoulder to shoulder packed so if you have a fear of tight spaces maybe nominate someone else to brave the crowd. Colette and Sienna got special wands that let them cast spells at locations throughout the two areas. There may have been a third wand purchased for a much older child in our group, but that will remain a mystery. Colette also got to get a robe and scarf to complete her birthday experience. She was in heaven! We cast spells, drank Butter Beer, and ate at the leaky cauldron smiles plastered to our faces.

More Harry Potter Memories

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The rest of the Story

There are a ton of cool rides at Universal and we got to ride some great ones. Two standouts for me and the girls were the roller coasters, The Incredible Hulk and Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket. The Hollywood coaster was my favorite because it starts by slowly taking you up vertically to the first drop and goes nuts from there on out. There’s a lot of 3D rides and tons of characters walking around the parks. We ate, rode and got pics with some of our favorites. We really liked Universal and we plan to go back someday.

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The Great Space Coast

After all the parks and on the way to our next destination we decided to take a detour to the Kennedy Space Center. Being a bit of a space nerd I was really excited about this stop and it didn’t’ disappoint. One note here, it is pretty expensive to take the whole family to this experience. I had a bit of sticker shock but the exhibits more than made up for that. The day was spent learning about the great men and women who pioneered our journey to space. We got to get up close and personal with the old rockets and even got to see a full-scale replica of the solid rocket boosters that launched the shuttle fleet. The highlight of the visit is seeing the space shuttle Atlantis, which is one of only three left and our second we’ve seen on this adventure. There was a full schedule of rockets preparing for liftoff, including the Space X Falcon Heavy. Unfortunately, our plans didn’t line up with them but it was great to see that our mission to explore space is alive and well.

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A Great Ending

To end our marathon run in Florida we spent a week with my parents who get a place in Stuart. It was so very nice to spend a week relaxing, walking on the beach, swimming and laughing. Pete and Judy are a great couple and we enjoy having one on one time with them and the kids. We’ve been coming down to see them for a number of years and plan to continue as long as they have a place. We also made our yearly pilgrimage to Benihana. Always a great treat with food sizzling and flying through the sky. After a great week, we packed up the car to hit the road again. We were heading to the Alabama coast and uncharted territory, it was as exciting to get back on the road as it was to leave the first time. Great adventures await.

Adventure

Slow Start to a Long Journey – Part 1 – D to the isney

By PapaWanderer February 2, 2018

Travel is sometimes no fun

So getting back on the road after a month-long holiday break has been a bit of a challenge. But we did it! After an awesome break back home in Michigan seeing family and friends the time had come to head back out on the road. January was looking to be a busy month of travel for us. From Atlanta to Key West to Disney/Universal and finally to my folks rental on the Atlantic coast of Florida. Our first stop was my friend’s house outside of Atlanta for New Years. Mother nature had other plans and tried to throw a wrench in ours. 10″ of snow in 5 hours and a closed airport in Traverse City threatened to stop us before we started.

Delay after delay forced us to miss our connection in Chicago. We had to adjust on the fly and find a new destination to fly to get back to our car in Atlanta. It all hinged on us getting to Chicago, and finally, after 8 hours at the airport, a pinhole in the storm opened and we escaped. We were off on the second leg of the journey.

To the Keys or Bust

We finally got to Atlanta day late and got our stuff ready to head back out on the road. It was great to see our friends Randy and Betsy and hang at their beautiful home for a few more days, even greater to be out of the white fluff. On the second of January, we headed off for Key West. It was a very quick visit to the Keys as we had to be back for a wedding in Miami on the 6th. We stayed with Katie’s Aunt Jan and Uncle Bill at their home in the city. We had a great, albeit quick visit.

Welcome to Miami

Saying goodbye, we headed out of the keys for an overnight in Miami. We got to see some family and enjoying a fun wedding of our friends with lots of dancing and laughter.

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The next day we headed out to Disney and Universal. The week would be spent with Katie’s Parents, sister and our nieces and nephew.

We’ve been to Disney a few times and we really enjoy our time there. Even though it’s crazy expensive we feel it’s worth the effort for the memories. We had three days at Disney and planned to hit the Magical Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Hollywood studios. One thing we’ve realized in our visits is that Disney does not cater well to the off the cuff, spur of the moment traveler. With that in mind, we had carefully set our dinner and ride plans many months in advance. Now I’m not saying you can’t go and just wing it, you can, but you may spend a large portion of your time waiting for the popular rides and not get the most out of the parks. Since we only had three days, the more scheduled approach allowed us to see and ride a ton of stuff.

Animal Kingdom

The Animal Kingdom was up first and the new Avatar area of Pandora was open to explore. Colette was sick and Katie decided a day off was in order, so Sienna, Lennox and I headed off for a day in the park with Katie’s sister and husband (Suzi and Clif) their kids (Piper, Scarlett, and Quinn) and her Parents (Fred and Barb). We got to the park before the others and entered right when it opened. I witnessed something I’d never seen at the parks to this day….a mad scramble of people running, hobbling and darting to get to the new Pandora area. They were running to get to one of the new rides which had you fly on the back of a Banshee. In less than a half hour, the wait time for that ride was over three hours. We passed on that one and walked around the new area instead. It’s awesome and the attention to detail is pretty cool. We finally met up with the others and spent the rest of the day taking a safari, watching shows and riding Expedition Everest. The weather was beautiful and a great time was had. Colette was feeling better by the end of the day so she was able to join us the rest of the trip.

The Magic Kingdom

Day two was at the Magic Kingdom and the whole family was up and ready to go. I think this park is my favorite as there is a great mix of classic and new rides. We started with Big Thunder Mountain where we learned Lennox was not yet a fan of roller coasters. Sienna and Colette, on the other hand, could not get enough. We saw a few of the musical shows which most of our group enjoyed. The kids love the animatronics. (even the more dated ones) The kids saw a ton of their favorite characters and got photos. I selfishly tried to get Lennox to like coasters by taking him on the 7 Dwarfs Mine Ride. ( he was not happy with papa) What’s weird is that later in the day he wanted to go again. /shrug We spent the remainder of the day hitting the rides, enjoying the weather and the magic that is Disney.

Magic Kingdom Memories

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Polynesian Playtime

Disney has some awesome dining options, but one of our favorites is the Spirit of Aloha Dinner. It’s a family style experience with everyone sharing large heaping plates of Polynesian delicacies. While you eat you’re treated to traditional music and dancing from many of the islands of the South Pacific. They all culminate in an incredible fire spinning dance. This time the guy spinning fire absolutely blew our minds. Colette also got some early Birthday love from her extended family. I highly recommend this show. I even did the hula much to my families horror.

Holywood…What’s your Dream

We ended our Disney visit at my least favorite park Hollywood Studios. Now when I say that you must understand that I love all the parks, just this one least of the three. There are some cool rides at this park and a ton of good shows. In the near future, this may become my favorite park when the new Star Wars area opens. They have up’ed the ante on Star Wars activities at this park with a number of shows and demonstrations. We also went to the Indiana Jones Stunt show which was totally awesome. This park seemed a bit less packed the day we went so we had a more chill day exploring. Alas, the time had come for us to leave our family and Disney for our next adventure. An adventure involving a birthday, a wand and a trip to platform 9 3/4.

Colette and Katie snuck to Epcot for the morning before we left.

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Road Trip

Let’s do the Charleston!

By PapaWanderer November 27, 2017

A Sunny Saturday Stroll

After our spell in the mountains, we were eager to get back to the coast. We packed up the rig and headed out for the jewel of South Carolina, Charleston. (That’s what I’m calling it at least) One thing I’ve noticed, and it’s very apparent here in Charleston, is how kind everyone seems to be. I guess that southern hospitality is real. We have really enjoyed our trip south. The people and cities seem to become more and more inviting. Our first day in the city just happened to be the first Saturday of the month. On the first Saturday in Charleston they close down King St and open it to the public to walk around. King Street is the major shopping avenue in the city and all the vendors come out and set up pop-up shops and restaurants. Such a welcoming start for us.

Patriot’s Point

As a kid growing up I spent many vacations going to Kiawah Island. Kiawah is just 20 miles from Charleston so we would often head over for the day. We saw many sights, but the one I remember most is visiting the Yorktown aircraft carrier. The area is now called Patriot’s Point. (maybe it always was?!) We love seeing these old pieces of history open to exploring. After driving over the beautiful Arthur Ravenel Bridge, we got to see an aerial view of old Charleston and the Yorktown in the distance. At this location is a submarine, a frigate and of course the Yorktown. My little guy Lennox has developed a love for this military stuff so he was in heaven. Colette and Sienna would rather just get selfies from the captain’s chair. We explored the ship and learned about all the history it has experienced. From battling in the south pacific to picking up Apollo space capsules after their missions, this ship has seen some action. The flight deck and interior hanger are filled with old aircraft to see up close. This thing is crazy big…like a floating city! We also toured the USS Laffey which was kamikazied by multiple planes and had something like six bombs dropped on it. Amazingly it never sank! Both ships have cool interactive exhibits which make you feel like you’re experiencing a moment in their history. One last memory of the day was a large group of new American citizens were being naturalized on the deck of the Yorktown while we were there. Cool to see and I bet even more memorable for the participants. Definitely, a great place to spend the afternoon.

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Fort Sumter and a Little Horsin’ Around

No trip to Charleston would be complete without visiting the fort where the first shots of the Civil War were fired, Fort Sumter. The fort lies at the mouth of Charleston harbor and you need to take a ferry to get there. This site is part of the National Park system so….you guessed it Jr. Ranger Program!! The day was beautiful and we had an awesome ferry ride out to the fort. (We saw dolphins!) Once there, we disembarked to explore the site. The fort visit was another nice piece of history that fit well into the narrative we have been learning since the beginning of the trip. Since we were one of the last trips of the day we got to do something really cool. Colette, Sienna and I participated in the ceremony of lowering the fort’s flag. Since both the girls are Girl Scouts they helped bring the flag down from the pole. I jumped in (with about 20 other people) to help fold the flag. A great experience to put an exclamation point on our patriotic visit. Lennox got to see a bunch of cannons so he was psyched. We wandered around the ruins learning and having a fine sunny November day.

We decided one of the best ways to see the city would be to take a horsedrawn carriage ride. If you’ve been following our blog then you know that Sienna was out of her mind excited. We chose Palmetto Carriage Works and we had a great driver. A young man who claimed to be 16th generation Charlestonian. Given the heavy southern drawl he could pull off we believed him. We saw some old beautiful homes, let a bride and groom get some pics in the carriage and learned some quirky local history. It was a great way to see the city and we all had fun. After the tour, we walked the streets for hours and took in even more of this beautiful city.

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Trees, Food and an Unexpected Namesake Tour

Sometimes we find some strange but cool things on our journey. One such thing was a visit to one of the biggest trees on the East coast, The Angel Oak Tree. Off the beaten path a bit but well worth the visit. This tree is a big mama jamma!

Every now and again Kaite and I get a moment to ourselves. So with a babysitter watching the kiddos we headed out for some fun. I always cherish the moments when it’s just the two of us. I love my family but we need our alone time as well. We strolled the streets, did a little shopping and had a fantastic dinner at Mcgrady’s Restaurant. The restaurant was amazing. Just 22 seats and you get to watch the chefs create magnificent dishes a few feet away. This is not a cheap dinner but well worth the money for the experience and a nice night out with my love.

So after a fantastic week, it was time for us to move on to our next destination. However, I had on last stop for us. I found this location by happenstance as I was out running one day.

The McLeod Plantation. Since it bore the same name as us(though no relation that we know of) we had to go visit. The property was beautiful even though the history it embodied was heavy. As a working plantation during the time of the civil war, slavery was prevalent. There’s the main mansion and a number of smaller structures still standing. A stunning Live Oak lined road leads up to the front door. As with most plantations in the area, the original cotton crops had long since died off but they had a small area that was cultivating an ancient strain of cotton local to the area. I’ve never actually seen cotton growing, but I’ve learned so much about the negative history of its beginning, that seeing it grow kind of made the history more tangible. It’s somewhat sobering when you stop and think of what horrible atrocities were perpetrated over such a simple plant. After the war, the plantation fell on hard times and was eventually turned over to the city of Charleston. Now it’s a historical site managed by the city of Charleston. We appreciated our visit to this plantation though I think the kids are a bit burnt out on historical visits! ” uugghh! not another history place!” was a phrase I heard uttered in one form or another from each of the kids. As this was our final stop we loaded up the car and headed off for one of our final destinations before ending the first leg of our year on the road.

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Random Charleston Memories

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Road Trip

Mountain Mama – Asheville, NC

By mamawanderer November 22, 2017

More Cousins!!!! in Liberty, North Carolina

East Jordan tends to be home base for family reunions and visits from cousins so our kids thought it was pretty awesome that they would get to see their cousins in their hometown of Liberty, North Carolina. It was even better they could sleep over and be part of Maggie and Mitchell’s 11th birthday party. We all got our fill of family, friends, and fun and loved every second. Believe it or not our kids can be pretty shy but it didn’t take long for them to be running around with their cousins, making messes and playing with a house full of toys. They didn’t want to leave the next day and talked about their cousins the whole way to Asheville. I know these memories will stick with them a long time and we are so thankful for family and Southern hospitality.

Home away – Airbnb style

So far we have mostly stayed at Airbnb on our travels. I don’t post about many but this was a mountain home, with a glorious view which is pretty much all we needed for the week. It had a fire red maple which greeted us every day and was like living in a warm hug. We enjoyed the ever-changing mountain views, fresh air and relaxation oh so much.

Biscuit Head

I’ve heard of places like this, but honestly didn’t really believe there were places where no matter what time you go there is a line out the door. Well, folks, this is the spot. Literally, any time of day we passed by, the line was out the door. I’m not a huge fan of waiting for food but my husband is so we joined the crowd. I didn’t even know I liked biscuits but this must have come directly from the gods. It was amazing, along with everything else you can add to it, such as a flight of gravy! What?! Yep that’s real.

Lexington Glassworks

I’ve always been fascinated with glass blowing. It is such an amazing art form, working with a molten material, blowing and spinning to get the right shape, not seeing the color properly until it cools I’m guessing it is extremely difficult. Somehow these guys do all this and talk to an audience of on-lookers at the same time with smiles on their faces. Lexington Glass has taken the art of glass blowing and made it a super cool experience for the public, they even have a bar here! Their work is incredible, check them out.

Graffiti

If graffiti makes you drool head to Asheville, NC. There are so many amazing pieces of street art hiding in alleys and really everywhere. Then there is the river arts district which has entire buildings transformed with color. Big props to all the talented artists using buildings as their canvasses.

Craggy Gardens Trail – Blue Ridge Parkway

Thick fog covered the mountains, we couldn’t see more than 20 feet in front of our car while driving and as you wind through the mountains it is pretty surreal and disorienting. As eerie as it was it was also beautiful. Matt and the girls were able to get outside for a short hike while I stayed in the car with the sleeping little guy. A little wet and chilly but no complaints as it was still a beautiful hike.

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Sierra Nevada Brewery

We didn’t know Sierra Nevada had a factory near Asheville until we were talking to a local and he said we had to go check it out. He described it as the “Disney World of beer,” haha. So off we went to see what this beer haven was all about and to grab some dinner, which was great. The building and factory are Platinum LEED certified which is pretty incredible. It also had one of the most beautiful live walls I have seen anywhere, including in magazines. This would be my dream someday if I can get my green thumb working. The building, restaurant, and factory are all magnificent and there was a self-guided tour which took us through the history the art of beer making. We learned the company is still family owned as well which we always give cheers to.

The Biltmore Estate

It is impossible to comprehend just how large a 178,926 square foot house is, enormous is an understatement. We saw a portion of this house and it took us a few hours. The Biltmore is the largest privately owned house in the United States, aside from its impressive size it is intricately designed in both its structure and furnishings. What made it extraordinary for us were the Christmas decorations strewn throughout the home. I believe there were over 50 decorated trees and countless wreaths, bows, and garland, it was spectacular. We didn’t stay long enough to see the lights at night but I’m guessing they would take your breath away.

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Biltmore Farms

We were able to get our fall fix at the Biltmore Farm. Lots of giant leaves to toss around, animals to pet, space for gymnastics and old school games. The land here is beautiful and chances to run free are much welcomed. We love our travels but the East Coast has been pretty city heavy so finding open spaces are sometimes as much of a treat as anything.

Blue Ridge Parkway – Make time for the Mountains

Before our four-hour drive to our next destination Charleston, we decided we needed one more drive through the Blue Ridge Parkway before heading out. The past few days had been a bit overcast but this morning, although the temperature was brisk, the sun was shining and the skies were clear, a perfect calling to the mountains. Mid-morning we came upon a hike and with our big drive ahead debated if we should do it or not. Our advice, always choose the hike! I guarantee it will be worth it and you will never sit in the car and say, “I really wish we wouldn’t have done that hike,” unless of course, you injure yourself or something of the sort. The hike was spectacular, incredible clear blue views of miles and miles of mountains, and as a bonus, the kids were tired and more calm for our car ride. Now that’s a win for everyone!

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Road Trip

Spooktacular Williamsburg, VA

By PapaWanderer November 18, 2017

A Little Fiesta to Kickoff our Visit

The drive from DC to Williamsburg was an easy one and we got a late start after visiting the final resting place of the space shuttle Discovery. We arrived at our lodging a bit later in the evening and didn’t want to go shopping for food so we went to the local Mexican eatery Jose Tequila. I only mention this place as it will have some significance later in the visit. For now, I will leave you with this photo to ponder.

We spent a week in the Historic Triangle area. This area consists of Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown. From a historical perspective, this was a great stop for our lessons as this area sees the end of the American Revolution and the birth of America. We started in Jamestown, which was the first English settlement in North America. It’s amazing to think that the first explorers to North America choose these very shores on which to make landfall. It’s nice to see these sites being preserved if only to acknowledge the feats and follies of our every evolving nation.

Jamestown

The actual historic site for Jamestown is an actual archeological site. Archaeologists are still excavating and finding remnants of the settlement. We were able to view some of the work in the old chapel on the site. (Cool in a nerdy sort of way) After hanging at the historical site for a bit we ventured over to the much more kid-friendly Jamestown Village. The kids loved this part. The settlement is an interactive experience which features a recreated Native American Village, a working Jamestown village, and replicas of the three ships that brought the first settlers. People were dressed in historically accurate garb and spoke with a bit of the ole’ brogue from that age. We got to speak with all the characters and learn how the old villages worked and what the villagers daily life was like. We loved it, cool experience for the family.

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Colonial Williamsburg

Colonial Williamsburg is a fun place for the family. It’s built on the foundations of many of the historic buildings from the late 1700’s the people are dressed in period garb and there are many shops and historical reenactments to make you feel like you’ve gone back in time. We went in the off season so there weren’t many people there. I also think this is the reason only about half the shops were open. They have a schedule of events everyday which tells you what’s open and closed. Maybe it’s the season or a bit of a game to sell more tickets, but you would need to spend at least two days in the park to see everything open. We felt that one day was enough for us. We saw cabinet makers, blacksmiths, an apothecary, a weaver and much more. Ther wig shop was closed, which our friends said was a highlight for their kids. My oldest could have spent more time here but we knew our 7 and 4-year old didn’t have the stamina. The good news is that there is so much to see doing another trip would not be out of the question. I’m trying a new idea with this post in that I’m letting the pictures tell most of our story and trying to have less of a wall of text. We’ll see how it pans out.

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Yorktown

Yorktown marks the last battle fo the American revolution. A fitting capstone to our historical journey that started all the way in Boston. There are two sites in Yorktown. A car tour of the battlefields and a really nice museum with movies, interactive displays, and some replica outdoor experiences. What amazes me most about this journey through history is the enormity of the distances and the communities that were affected. You really get a sense for how the American Revolution and the Civil War just turned life on its head for much of the population of the time. Katie and I have such a deeper appreciation of the sacrifices and impossible decisions that were made to create the nation we have today. I think that the kids have retained some of this great knowledge as well which we hope will serve to make them inquisitive about our country, the world and people around them. E Pluribus Unum – From Many One.

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All Hallow’s Eve

Such a good Halloween this year! We were worried that being on the road would be tough for the kids, but our reservations were unfounded. Katie did amazing makeup work, Halloween Express provided the outfits and we found an awesome neighborhood in which to trick or treat. Remember the image from the top of the post? Well, enjoy our sugar skull vamp Sienna!

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Southern Vice

This trip wouldn’t be complete without sharing one of my many southern vices. Chicken and Waffles!!! So good…a little salty..a little sweet and add some spice!!! Just kill me now. (the globs of fat will get me later…haha) I also found that my girls and Lennox had a vice of there own…and it came with sprinkles!!

Fun in the sun to top it off

Most of the Airbnb’s we stay at are apartments or small homes but this was actually a part of a resort. Our 80-degree weather combined with pools and mini golf spoiled us. We enjoyed some relaxation, fun and lots of water time. Golf can be a little challenging with our ultra-competitive family as you can see from the photo below. If you’re looking for a great vacation Airbnb we recommend Kingsgate, Williamsburg.